Great news for working mamas or mamas keen to get your helper more comfortable in the water: we try out the new ‘Auntie & Me’ swimming class at Swish Swimming

My toddler has been taking swimming classes since she was 6 months old, and now that she’s 2½ I’m amazed at how comfortable she is in the water. The flip side to that, of course, is that she has no qualms about jumping right in even if I’m not yet in the swimming pool.

As great as it is living in a place like Singapore where you can swim every single day of the year, water safety also becomes a chief concern. The more my daughter wants to swim in our condo pool with her friends, the more vital it is that all of her caretakers – including our helper – feel comfortable being in the water with her.

Our helper, Leylani, had never been swimming before – the most she’d ever done was wade in the ocean or dip her toes in the pool. So when I heard about the new “Auntie & Me” class at Swish Swimming, I jumped at the chance (and Leylani was keen, too!).

While the class isn’t necessarily geared toward teaching helpers to swim – it’s more a baby swimming class that’s great for working families, and provides a fun social outlet for helpers – it has the benefit of being taught in Swish’s beautiful, temperature-controlled indoor pool in a safe and comfortable environment. Babies as young as 4 months are welcome – there’s very much a social aspect to the class so even if there’s a range of ages it still works (though if a child’s skills are advanced enough, they may be placed into another parent-accompanied class, where helpers are of course welcome).

The class began with Leylani easing her way into the water (shallow enough to stand in), followed by Maggie jumping into her arms. They headed over to a platform area where Maggie could stand and play with a cute little watering can, and warmed up by singing “I’m a little teapot” with the instructor, Alicia.

At other points in the class, Maggie swam between Leylani and Alicia (blowing bubbles, kicking her legs, and digging her arms), and delighted in rolling around on the magic mat (who knew she’d so love pretending to be a jelly donut?).

Toward the end, Leylani held onto Maggie while she floated on her back and looked up into a mirror. Seeing the tranquil smiles on both their faces was a major Awww moment for this mama.

Classes last for about 30 minutes and are geared toward kiddos anywhere from 4 months to age 3 (kids can also be sorted by ability, and helpers are welcome in other parent-accompanied classes as well once kids get comfortable). Cost is $32 per week; the first term starts next week, mama!

I really like that classes are limited to five children to ensure everyone gets plenty of attention – Alicia was so patient with Maggie and also helped guide Leylani despite her nervousness. It’s also a really beautiful pool and the roof and temperature control mean that classes can happen no matter the weather.

Following the class I asked Leylani if she’d like to do more and she eagerly responded yes. It’s a lovely, supportive environment for nervous first-time swimmers, not to mention a wonderful bonding opportunity. The new term starts January 9, mama, so give Swish a call if you want to arrange a trial lesson!

Auntie & Me classes are offered on Wednesdays at 9:45am, and Fridays at 11:45am and 3pm. Call Swish for more info or to arrange a trial!

Sassy Mama Editor Kate hails from Boston (it’s wicked awesome), arriving in Singapore in 2011 after a stint in Sydney. A lover of all things food and outdoors-related, Kate enjoys exploring Singapore on foot with her daughter, Maggie, and their Singapore Special, Avon Barksdale.